Barbados Today

Vincy nah back down from nobody!”

That was the ear-piercing refrain from the Vincy Masters after they defeated the locally based Wildey team 4-2 on penalties to celebrate being the new Over-40 champions of the 21st Banks Barbados International Masters Football Tournament yesterday evening at the Wanderers Ground.

Having previously won in 2008 and 2014, the newly crowned champions comprising mostly of St Vincent and the Grenadines former national players created a few wonderful set pieces but were unable to finish the job.

Wildey found themselves in similar situations when former national players Gregory ‘Lalu’ Goodridge and Anthony Forde playing upfront were unable to get past a stern Vincy defence led by the big man and eventually adjudged Most Valuable Player Wesley Charles. Charles at a height of 6ft 2in and 250-plus pounds was a tower of strength at the back for the champions.

After 60 minutes of expired match time, referee John Griffith blew his whistle and the highly anticipated penalty shoot out took place. The Vincy Masters had one chance that went wide while the disappointing Wildey made a mess of two.

Scoring for Vincy were Charles, Tyrone Prince, Dexter Walker and Cornelius Huggins while Kenlyn Gonslaves missed. Cleve Boyce and Craig Cave were the only two penalty scorers for former champions Wildey. Surprisingly two of the biggest names in the Wildey unit Goodridge and Forde were the culprits. Goodridge was brilliantly denied by Vincy goalkeeper Erasmus Wyllie while Forde sent the ball disappointingly wide of the goal bars.

After capturing their third overall trophy, Vincy manager, Michael John told Barbados TODAY yesterday evening this was the first time they played an all Vincentian team since participating in the tournament over the past ten years.

Meanwhile team captain, Christopher Brazilian-Harry said the team comprising of players from Arnos Vale, St Vincent, had been hard at training over the past few months and therefore were not surprised at the result.

“Most of the time our defence was really strong and only two goals were scored on us for this five-day tournament which is a testament to our strong overall defence,” Brazilian-Harry said.

Prior to reaching the final, Wildey defeated another Bajan team Combined Forces 2-0 with a goal each from Goodridge and Russell Norville. Meanwhile Charles was responsible for Vincy reaching the final with the goal in their 1-0 victory over Sunday Krew of Trinidad and Tobago.

Brooklyn Stars from the United States of America and X-men of Trinidad and Tobago contested the Over-40 Plate Final and after 60 minutes of regular time they were tied 1-1 which then forced the game into a penalty shoot out which was won 4-3 by the Americans.

The X-men team had an Over-50 unit and they pulled off a comfortable 4-1over KFC Exactly thanks to a brace from Anthony Jacob and one each from Roger Stevens and Hayden Ryan while Anthony Alleyne had the lone goal for the local KFC team.